Crimping tool



Sept. 16, 1969 p. s. B K ET AL 3,466,727

CRI MPI NG TOOL Filed bee. v. 1966 III-hi4 INVENTOR PAUL S. BUKER AND Dav/1w M TAM/2 AND PETER J W510,

United States Patent 3,466,727 CRIMPING TOOL Paul S. Buker, Donald M. Taylor, and Peter J. Weich,

Middletown, Ohio, assignors to Armco Steel Corporation, Middletown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 599,856 Int. Cl. B23p 11/00 U.S. Cl. 29200 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for insuring proper engagement and then securely interlocking the overlapping ribs of adjacent steel panels. A rotatable cam member will force the mating ribs of adjacent panels into engagement with a frame member, and a crimping pin carried by the cam will deform at least one of the engaged ribs so as to securely hold the adjacent panels together.

Background of the invention The invention has particular utility in conjunction with a popular steel building panel which includes a surface portion and an upstanding rib along each longitudinal edge of the surface portion. These ribs are configured to mate with the corresponding rib of an adjacent panel. For example, each of the ribs on a given panel may include an inverted U portion; the rib along one edge of the panel, the female rib, will be arranged with the U portion extending outwardly of the surface portion of the panel, while the U portion of the opposite rib, the male rib, will extend inwardly, being disposed above the surface portion of the panel. Thus, when mating ribs of adjacent panels are engaged together, the surface portions of the adjacent panels will abut one another in a single plane.

According to the prior art, there is no fully satisfactory way of securing adjacent panels together. Therefore, in many cases, the prior art simply does not secure adjacent panels together. In certain cases, wherein extra rigidity is required, or wherein the seams between adjacent panels have been caulked, screws are used through the portions of the ribs which are parallel to the surface portion of the panels. This of course is a time consuming and hence expensive operation; and in addition, greatly increases the possibility of leaks in the panel system.

Keeping the foregoing comments in mind, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a tool which will simultaneously engage the rib portion of adjacent panels, force them into their proper relationship, and crimp to secure them in that position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for securing adjacent steel panels together without the use of screws or other piercing elements.

A further and very important object of the invention is to provide a tool of such design that the crimping is accomplished by a controlled deformation of at least a portion of the female panel rib, rather than just a buckling or wrinkling action.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a tool which enables the user to secure adjacent panels in position, and yet permit them to be disengaged by rotating the panels along an axis which is parallel to the ribs.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a tool which enables the user to engage and crimp adjacent, mating panel ribs in a simple, single stroke of the tool.

Summary of the invention Very briefly considered, this invention contemplates a crimping tool which includes a frame having a top porice tion and a side wall secured together at substantially right angles. Means are provided for camming the ribs of adjacent panels into engagement with both the top portion and the side wall of the frame, whereby to insure proper alignment of the respective panels. Substantially simultaneously with the camming action briefly noted above, the device will positively deform at least a portion of one of the adjacent panels so that the two panels are secured together in the proper position, but can still be disengaged.

Description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a cut away perspective view of the tool of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevational view of the tool of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view from the same position as FIGURE 3, but showing the tool in its initial position; and

FIGURE 5 is a partial perspective view showing the crimp formed by the tool of this invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention As shown in FIGURE 1, the frame of the crimping tool is indicated generally at 10, and includes the side wall 12 and the top portion 14. The side wall 12 carries the rivets 12a, which serve a dual function. The rivet heads are disposed inside the side wall 12, and act as an abutment and spacer against which the ribs of the panels to be joined are aligned. In addition, a portion of each of the rivets extend outside the side wall 12 and serve to limit the motion of the components described presently. The side wall 12 may include the bushing 16, which supports shaft 16a and serves to pivotally mount the handle 18 on the outside of the base and the cam block 20 on the inside of the frame. The cam block 20 and handle 18 are fixed to rotate together through an angle of about Thus it will be seen by comparing FIGURES 3 and 4 that the cam block 20 is rotatable from the generally horizontal position seen in FIGURE 4 to the generally vertical position seen in FIGURE 3.

By comparing FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, it will be apparent that the cam block 20 is of generally rectangular configuration. As seen in FIGURE 2, the lowermost end of the cam block 20 may be rounded so that the handle 18 and cam block 20 may be rotated in the event that the lowermost edge of the side wall 12 rests against a portion of one of the panels being engaged. It will also be noted that the top edge of the cam block 20 (as seen in FIGURE 2) is rounded. In particular, the rounded portion 20a acts as a camming surface to force the portions 30a and 32a of the adjacent ribs tightly together and against the top portion 14 of the frame, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

It is also important to note that the face of the cam block 20 adjacent the side wall 12 is provided with a recess 22. This recess is so arranged that its axis will be substantially parallel to the top portion 14 when the cam block 20 is in the generally vertical position seen in FIG- URES 2 and 3.

Finally, it will be observed that the crimping pin 24 is fixedly secured to the cam block 20 in the recess 22. The angle of the crimping pin 24 is of considerable importance. It will be observed that the crimping pin is substantially horizontal when the cam block 20 is in the vertical position of FIGURES 2 and 3, but that the longitudinal axis of the pin 24 is inclined upwardly from the horizontal at an angle of approximately 30 when the cam block is in the generally horizontal position shown in 3 FIGURE 4. Because of the inclination of the pin and its gradual transition during rotation from a 30 inclination to a horizontal position, a controlled inward deformation of at least the female panel rib edges will be accomplished, rather than just a buckling or wrinkling action.

The deformed portion of the female rib must extend inwardly far enough to retain the male rib edge.

Considering now FIGURES 3, 4, and 5, the operation of this device will be described. The handle 18 and cam block 20 are rotated with respect to the frame so that the cam block is in the generally horizontal position, substantially parallel to the surface portion or face of the panel as shown in FIGURE 4. A pair of conventional panels such as indicated at 30 and 32 in FIGURES 3 and 5 are placed together in the approximately proper position. The crimping tool of this invention is then placed so that the top portion 14 will rest on the top surface 30a of the upstanding rib, and the spacers 12a are against the vertical portion 30b of the rib. The spacers insure that the end of crimping pin 24 extends beyond the edge of the panel to be crimped, to effect proper crimping. (In the case of coated panels, it will be desirable to provide the underside of the top portion 14 with a layer of low friction material, such as high density polyethylene to allow the device to slip on the panel rib without marring the paint.) The handle is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (as seen in FIGURE 2) until the cam block 20 is brought to the generally vertical position shown in FIGURE 3. The surface 20a of the cam block will force the top portions of the ribs of adjacent panels into intimate contact between the top surface of the cam block and the bottom surface of the top portion 14. Similarly, the surface 20b will cam the vertical portions of the adjacent panel ribs into proper contact between the spacers 12a and the cam block. In proper sequence, the crimping pin 24 will, as described before, deform at least a portion of the female panel rib inwardly, thereby effecting a crimp which will securely hold the two panels in the proper positions. The finished crimp is shown at 34 in FIGURES 3 and 5.

It will be apparent to the skilled worker in the art that numerous modifications can be made in this invention without departing from its scope and spirit. For example, the side wall 12 of the frame can be provided with an arcuate slot, and the crimping pin 24 can be made to extend through this slot and be secured to the handle 18. In such an embodiment, there is no possibility of the panel edge getting caught between the frame and the end of the crimping pin, and accordingly, the spacers 12a can be eliminated.

Accordingly, no limitations are intended except insofar as specifically set forth in the claims which follow.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a tool for assembling metallic construction panels:

(a) a frame having a top member and a side member secured together along their longitudinal edges at substantially a right angle;

(b) a handle journaled to the outside of said side member adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to said side member;

(c) a cam block one end of which is journaled to said side member adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof, said cam block being rotatable beneath said top member in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said handle and secured to said handle for rotation therewith, having an engaged position wherein its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the top member and the free or camming end of the cam block is at the point in its are closest to said top member and a disengaged position wherein the cam block is pivoted on the order of from its engaged position, and being of such radial length that its free or camming end is substantially two thicknesses of said panels distant from the lower surface of said top member when the cam block is in its engaged position;

(d) a crimping pin for crimping and securing said panels together, said pin being fixedly secured to said cam block and extending toward said handle.

2. The tool claimed in claim 1 including means for limiting the arc of rotation of said handle and said cam block.

3. The tool claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of said crimping pin is in a plane substantially parallel to said top member when said cam block is in its engaged position and said longitudinal axis is inclined upwardly from its secured end when said cam block is in its disengaged position.

4. The tool claimed in claim 3 wherein said crimping pin is inclined upwardly from said parallel plane by an angle on the order of 30.

5. The tool claimed in claim 1 including a layer of a low friction material secured to the underside of said top member.

6. The tool claimed in claim 1 including spacer means projecting inwardly from said side member and arranged to contact and position at least a portion of said panels being crimped.

7. The tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said cam block is of a generally rectangular configuration, the face of said cam block adjacent said side member having a recess, the axis of said recess being generally parallel to said top member when said cam block is in its engaged position.

8. In a tool for assembling metallic construction panels which include surface portions and interlocking inverted channel-shaped ribs along the abutting edges of said panels adapted to form rib joints, each said rib joint having an inverted channel-shaped female member secured along the edge of one panel and a corresponding inverted channel-shaped male member secured along the abutting edge of the adjacent panel, said male and female members having corresponding upstanding members projecting from said abutting edges, corresponding upper portions, and flanges extending downwardly from said upper portions toward but not contacting the surface portion of one of said panels, said female member flange being longer than said male member flange and the outer surface of the male member being adapted to mate with the corresponding inner surface of the female member throughout its length;

(a) a frame comprising a top member adapted to rest on said rib joint and a side member extending downwardly adjacent the female member flange and beyond the free edge thereof;

(b) a cam block one end of which is journaled to said side member adjacent the bottom edge thereof so as to pivot within the rib joint in a plane substantially parallel to said side member, having an engaged position wherein the free or camming end of the cam block is at the point in its are closest to said top member and a disengaged position when said free or camming end is at a point in its are on the order of 90 from its engaged position, and being of such radial length as to bring its free or camming end to a distance from the lower surface of the top member substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of said upper portions when the cam block is in its engaged position, whereby to cam said upper portions together as the cam block is pivoted to its engaged position;

(c) means for pivoting said cam block to and between its engaged and disengaged positions;

(d) a crimping pin fixedly secured to said cam block, said crimping pin positioned on said cam block so as to project beneath the free edge of said female member flange when the cam block is in its disenga'ged position, and disposed along the radial length of'the cam block so' as to engage and deform a portin of at least the female member flange as the cam block is pivoted to its engaged position so as to secure said panels together. c

9. The tool claimed in claim 8 wherein the longitudinal axis of said crimping pin is in a plane substantially parallel to said top member when said cam block is in its engaged position and said longitudinal "axis is inclined upwardly from its secured end when said cam block is in its disengaged position.

10. The tool claimed in claim 8 wherein said cam block is of a generally rectangular configuration, the face of said cam block adjacent said side member having a recess arranged to receive said deformed portion of one of said panels.

11. The tool claimed in claim 6 wherein said spacer means extend through said side member and protrude to the outside thereof and the outside protrusions thus formed limit the arc of rotation of said handle and said cam block.

12. The tool claimed in claim 8 wherein, when said cam block is in its engaged position, at least a portion thereof is positioned substantially two panel thicknesses from said side member so as to cam said male and female member flanges together against said side member.

13. The tool claimed in claim 6 wherein, when said cam block is in its engaged position, at least a portion thereof is positioned substantially two panel thicknesses from the portion of said spacer means contacting said panels so as to cam said male and female member flanges together against said portion of said spacer means.

'14. The tool claimed in claim 9 including (a) means extending through said side member for limiting the arc of rotation of said handle and said cam block and for contacting and positioning at least a portion of said panels being engaged and crimped; (b) a layer of low friction material secured to the underside of said top member; and (c) a recess in the face of said cam block adjacent said side member, said recess being arranged so as to receive said deformed portion; and wherein (d) when said cam block is in its engaged position, at least a portion thereof is positioned substantially two panel thicknesses from the portion of said means extending through said side member contacting said panels, whereby to cam said male and female member flanges together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,703,618 2/1929 Groehn 29243.5 2,159,771 5/1939 Schlicht 29200 2,706,330 4/1955 Nelson 29-200 3,364,557 1/1968 Ashworth et al. 29243.5

THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 29-243 .5 

